Challenge:
Design a unique creature within the existing rules using templates from the Pathfinder Bestiary.
Rules:
* The base creature and any templates used must be from the Pathfinder Bestiary or Pathfinder Core Rules.
* It must be legal to to make within the rules.
* Any feats, character classes, etc. must be from Pathfinder Core Rules, the web enhancements for the core rules (i.e. Traits), or the Pathfinder Advanced Guide beta (Alchemist, Witch, etc.)
The most unique creature wins by vote.
Does furniture count? Or abodes?
Take elephant, apply skeleton template and some planks and other building materials, and you get The Unliving Room.
Necromancers kill for those (they need to, because life elephants won't work.)
Skeletal Rat Swarm
A clacking mass of rat bones draws closer, teeth flashing and claws scratching everything in its path.
Skeletal Rat Swarm CR 3
XP 600
N Tiny undead (swarm)
Init +6; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +8
Defense
AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 size)
hp 23 (4d8+3)
Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4
Defensive Abilities swarm traits, 1/2 damage from slashing/piercing weapons, DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune cold, undead traits
Offense
Speed 15 ft., climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft.
Melee swarm (1d6)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks disease, distraction (DC 12)
Statistics
Str 2, Dex 17, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +2; CMB —; CMD —
Feats Improved Initiative
Skills None
Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, pack (2–5 swarms), or infestation (6–12 swarms)
Treasure none
Special Abilities
None
A skeletal rat swarm typically consists of a biting, clacking mass of hundreds of the animated skeletons of dead rats. They are capable of killing a full-grown human with hundreds of bites.
Does furniture count? Or abodes?
Take elephant, apply skeleton template and some planks and other building materials, and you get The Unliving Room.
Necromancers kill for those (they need to, because life elephants won't work.)
These creatures are also the bane of all dwarfkind.
Heres a submission from me:
Fiendish Giant Froghemoth
Froghemoth CR 15
XP 51,200
NE Gargantuan aberration (extraplanar)
Init: +5; Senses: all-around vision, blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +16
Defense
AC: 28, touch 6, flat-footed 28 (+22 natural, –4 size)
hp: 216 (16d8+144)
Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +11
DR 10/good Immune: electricity (partial); Resist cold 15, fire 15; SR 20
Weaknesses: slowed by electricity
Offense
Speed 20 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee bite +20 (3d6+12/19–20 plus grab), 4 tentacles +18 (2d6+6 plus grab), tongue +18 (1d6+6 plus grab)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft. (40 ft. with tongue)
Special Attacks constrict (tentacle, 1d8+12), swallow whole (4d6+12 damage, AC 18, hp 21), smite good (1/day, +0 att, +16 dam)
Statistics
Str 34, Dex 11, Con 28, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 11
Base Atk +12; CMB +28 (+32 grapple); CMD 38
Feats Cleave, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Lunge, Multiattack, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Stealth)
Skills Perception +16, Stealth +11 (+19 in marshes), Swim +28; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception, +8 Stealth in marshes
Ecology
Environment temperate marsh
Organization solitary
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
All-Around Vision (Ex) A froghemoth's stalked eyes allow it to see in all directions at once. It cannot be flanked.
Slowed by Electricity (Ex) Although a froghemoth is immune to damage from electricity, whenever it would otherwise take such damage it is instead slowed for 1 round.
Notes:
- This was built by adding the Giant and Fiendish templates to the base Froghemoth creature. Each template added 1 to the CR.
-I had no hard information to go on in determining its reach with its tongue. Looking at other creatures that had a base reach equal to its space but that also had expanded reach (such as the tarrasque), I went with double its reach with its tongue, which was the same ratio as before.
- the swallow whole AC didn’t match the formula in the glossary, which is 10+1/2 natural armor. The base creature’s was 3 less than this. I used the regular formula minus 4 for the new size, resulting in a +2 increase.
- No hard formula is given for determining the HP damage needed to cut out of its gizzard. Looking at other monsters with the swallow whole ability it seemed to generally be 1/10 the monsters total hitpoints, rounded down. So I went with that.
- There were no clear rules on if the Fiendish template changes the creatures alignment or type. I simply assumed that it would gain the extraplanar subtype and would become evil.
well fudge..
I spent a good while to write down a vampire choker lvl 6 rogue here, forum ate my post though.
Vampire Choker Rogue 6 Undead, Augmented Abberation
CR 9, should be 10 but as is, this creature has no equipment
str : 26
dex : 24
con : -
int : 8
wis : 15
cha : 14
AC 29, touch 19, flatfooted 20
hp 71
initiative + 11, senses darkvision 60, perception +22
F +3 R+15 W+7
speed 25 feet, climb 25 feet
melee 2 tentacles +16 (1d6+8 plus grab, plus energydrain 2, 1/round)
space 5 feet, reach 10 feet
special attacks : constrict 1d6+8, strangle, blooddrain, children of the night, energy drain (DC16), Dominate (DC18), create spawn, Sneak Attack + 3D6,
BAB : + 6, CMB + 13 (+17 grappling) CMD 25
feats : improved initiative (B), lightning reflexes(B), dodge(B), toughness(B), combat reflexes(B), skill focus (stealth), windstance, weapon focus (tentacle)(B), ability focus (dominate), improved natural attack (tentacle), fleet
Climb +28, Sense motive +11, acrobatics +19, perception +22, stealth + 34, sleight of hand +11, bluff +10
special quality : quickness, spider climb, gaseous form, change shape, shadowless, undead traits, Trap Finding, Fast Stealth, Stand Up
defenses : undead traits, resist cold 10, resist electricity 10, turning resistance + 4, DR 10 magic and Silver, Fast Healing 5, Evasion
trap sense + 2, Uncanny Dodge
well here you go, not as much in the details, but you get the picture..
this creature has the potential to be very scary in the proper underground setting.
I was bored so I made another one:
Human Half-Dragon (red) Fighter 6 Skeletal Champion CR 8
XP 4,800
CE Medium undead
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +11
DEFENSES
AC 22, touch 13, flat-footed 19 (+7 armor, +3 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 76 (2d8+6d10+24+6)
Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +8, +4 channel resistance
DR 5/bludgeoning Immune: fire, cold, undead traits
OFFFENSE
Speed 20 ft./x4
Melee* +15/+10 +1 Glaive (1d10+18/x3)
bite +12 (1d6+11), 2 claws +12 (1d4+11)
Ranged +11/+6 Mwk Composite Longbow (1d8+4/x3)
* Power Attack (-2) is factored into all melee attacks
STATISTICS
Str 25, Dex 17, Con --, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 16
Base Atk +7; CMB +14; CMD 27
Feats Armor Proficiency (all), Shield Proficiency (all), Weapon Proficiency (simple, martial), Skill Focus (Intimidate), Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (Glaive), Dazzling Display (Glaive), Iron Will, Stand Still, Improved Initiative
Skills Climb +11, Intimidate +17, Perception +11, Fly +10, Swim +11, Stealth +10
Languages Common, Draconic
SQ Bravery +2, Armor Training +1, Weapon Training (polearms +1)
Gear +1 Glaive, +1 Breastplate, Mwk Composite Longbow (Strength +4) w/20 arrows
Notes:
- started with a base creature of human half-dragon (red) fighter 6, using the elite ability array. This had a base CR of 7.
- The starting creatures abilities and skills were based on it not being a skeleton, hence the ranks in fly even though it has no fly speed after becoming skeleton. Abilities were arranged as follows: Str 15, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 13. Its human +2 ability bonus was put into Wisdom (so as to keep from a negative modifier). A point was put into Dex at 4th HD and a point into Cha at 8th HD.
- adding the Skeletal Champion template caused some issues with the CR, as it is based on a skeleton CR of the same HD. So I calculated CR as follows: Base CR for 8 HD skeleton is 4, +1 for skeletal champion, +2 for half-dragon, +1 for elite array. This gave a final CR of 8. Looking at the Monster Statistics by CR chart in the bestiary for a CR 8 creature, this has substantially worse hp and slightly worse saves, the same high attack, and significantly better average damage. This seemed appropriate then for a CR 8, but it could potentially be a CR 7. If its dragon type gave immunity to cold instead of something else, I'd probably rate it at a CR 7, since skeletons automatically get cold immunity.
- Adding the skeletal champion template over the half-dragon template actually cost the monster some abilities, notably its fly speed and its breath weapon and a reduction in natural armor.
- Gear given is appropriate for a lvl 6 NPC heroic.
- This is a purely melee attacking monster. The high Str gives it significant attack and damage. The good dex combined with its reach weapon, combat reflexes, and stand still gives it good battlefield control abilities. Inside of its weapons reach it can use its bite and claw attacks, letting it threaten a full 10 ft area around it. Its high CMD will mean that most level appropriate PCs will have a tough time affecting it with combat maneuvers. It has substantial immunities that should make it last in a fight, but it does have relatively low HPs, so a few strong swings with a bludgeoning weapon should drop it.
- Note that it would have skeletal wings, but these wings are useless. It would look pretty cool though.
Half Red Dragon Stirge
Pre-Note
Being dramatically stronger means their harder to detach (+17, yikes!). Going by the RAW four HRDStirges would be about CR 7. This is obviously not the case. Compared to a pteranodon this guy incredibly sucks. So down below you'll noticed I advanced the base stirge to a 3 HD monster (making it a CR 1) before applying the Half Dragon template. Your welcome :)
This lizard-like insectoid creature has two pairs of bat-like dragon wings, a tangle of thin legs, red scales and a needle-sharp proboscis spouting tufts of flame.
CR 3
XP 800
N Tiny dragon
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +1
Defense
AC 20, touch 16, flat-footed 16 (+4 Dex, +2 size, +4 Natural)
immunity to sleep, paralysis, and fire
hp 24 (3d10+9)
Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +2
Offense
Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
Melee touch +9 (attach) or 2 claws +4 (1d2) and bite +9 (1d3)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks blood drain
Statistics
Str 11, Dex 19, Con 16, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +3; CMB +9 (+17 grapple when attached); CMD 15 (22 vs. trip)
Feats Track, Weapon Finesse
Skills Fly +10, Stealth +18, Survival +4
SQ diseased
Ecology
Environment temperate and warm swamps
Organization solitary, colony (2–4), flock (5–8), storm (9–14), or swarm (15–40)
Treasure none
Special Abilities
Attach (Ex) When a stirge hits with a touch attack, its barbed legs latch onto the target, anchoring it in place. An attached stirge is effectively grappling its prey. The stirge loses its Dexterity bonus to AC and has an AC of 16, but holds on with great tenacity and inserts its proboscis into the grappled target's flesh. A stirge has a +8 racial bonus to maintain its grapple on a foe once it is attached. An attached stirge can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself—if its prey manages to win a grapple check or Escape Artist check against it, the stirge is removed.
Blood Drain (Ex) A stirge drains blood at the end of its turn if it is attached to a foe, inflicting 1 point of Constitution damage. Once a stirge has dealt 4 points of Constitution damage, it detaches and flies off to digest the meal. If its victim dies before the stirge's appetite has been sated, the stirge detaches and seeks a new target.
Diseased (Ex) Due to the stagnant swamps in which they live and their contact with the blood of numerous creatures, stirges are harbingers of disease. Any creature subjected to a stirge's blood drain attack has a 10% chance of being exposed to filth fever, blinding sickness, or a similar disease (Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook 557). Once this check is made, the victim can no longer be infected by this particular stirge, though attacks by different stirges are resolved normally and may result in multiple illnesses.
Breath Fire (Su) 3d6 Fire. Reflex DC 14 for 1/2 damage. Usable once per day.
Being immune to fire Half Red Dragon Stirges will typically light fire to the surrounding area so they can feel more comfortable. Being dumb instead of animal intelligence means they'll use their fire breathing first on burnables instead of victims (burnt victims usually don't have a lot of blood). This will usually cause a panic flushing out potential prey. This also makes them the most potentially dangerous kind of stirge there is. Plus, unlike other stirges, they can defend themselves with their claws and bite and have been known to ravage prey after feeding (not a good thing for someone down a couple of pints).
Adding the Track feat was so that a good of them could assist each other in going after those that get away. Vicious little buggers ain't they.
Pathfinder allows us to create something never before seen.
Duavatu Valkor
14th level Ranger Lich
Blackened chain armor spattered in blood hangs from a desiccated skeletal frame. A pale blue light shines from where its eyes should be. The monster raises its bow and cackles gleefully.
CR 15
XP 51,200
Human lich ranger 14
CE Medium undead (augmented humanoid)
Init +6 (+12 in forest); Senses darkvision 60 ft. ; Perception +26
Aura Fear (Su): Will save DC 20: Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at the lich must succeed on a Will save or become frightened. Creatures with 5 HD or more must succeed at a Will save or be shaken for a 14 rounds. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same lich's aura for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Defense
AC 28, touch 17, flat-footed 22 (+6 armor, +1 deflection, +6 Dex, +5 natural)
hp 132 (14d10+56)
Fort +10, Ref +16, Will +7
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4; DR 15/bludgeoning and magic; Immune cold, electricity, undead traits
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Ranged +1 Longbow of Seeking +21/+16 (1d8+1, crit 19-20 x3)
w/ Rapidshot +19/+19/+14 (first attack 2d8+2) (1d8+1)
w/ Deadly Aim -4 to hit and +8 to damage (+16 to damage on first attack)
Melee +1 Vicious Longsword +16/+11 (1d8+2d6+2 and deals 1d6 to self, crit 19-20 x2) and touch +10 (1d8+7 plus paralyzing touch Fortitude save DC 20 or permanently paralyzed, will usually try to paralyze first)
Special Attacks: Critical Hits (+4 to confirm, staggers foe for 1d4+1 rounds, Fortitude save DC 24 to make it 1 round), Favored Enemies (Humans and Elves +4 to hit, damage, Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival, against Orcs this bonus is +2)
Spells Prepared (CL 11th)
4th— Tree Stride
3rd— Tree Shape
2nd— Protection From Energy, Spewak with Plants, Wind Wall
1st— Entangle, Longstrider, Pass Without Trace, Resist Energy
Statistics
Str 12, Dex 22, Con —, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16
Base Atk +14; CMB +15; CMD 32
Feats Combat Reflexes, Craft Wonderous Item, Critical Focus, Deadly Aim, Endurance, Improved Critical (longbow), Manyshot, Step up , Pinpoint Targeting, Rapid Shot, Quickdraw, Shot on the Run, Staggering Critical
Skills Acrobatics +20 Climb +6 Craft (arrows) +6, Handle Animal +13, Knowledge Geography +8, Knowledge Nature +8, Perception +26, Sense Motive +22, Spellcraft +11, Stealth +36, Survival +18 (+31 to track in forest); Racial Modifiers +8 Perception, +8 Sense Motive, +8 Stealth; class modifiers +7 survival when tracking, Favored terrain bonus
SQ: Evasion, Favored Terrains (Forest +6 to initiative checks and Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival, this bonus is +2 in Mountains and Plains), Quarry (this ranger can, as a standard action, denote one target within his line of sight as his quarry. Whenever he is following the tracks of his quarry, a ranger can take 10 on his Survival skill checks while moving at normal speed, without penalty. In addition, he receives a +2 insight bonus on attack rolls made against his quarry, and all critical threats are automatically confirmed. A ranger can have no more than one quarry at a time and the creature's type must correspond to one of his favored enemy types. He can dismiss this effect at any time as a free action, but he cannot select a new quarry for 24 hours. If the ranger sees proof that his quarry is dead, he can select a new quarry after waiting 1 hour.) Swift Tracker (halves the Survival penalties while tracking and moving), Wild Empathy (+17 to adjust animals behavior), Woodland Stride (may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment)
Languages
Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure NPC gear +2 Mithral Shirt of Shadow, Belt of Incredible Dexterity +2, Cloak of Resistance +1, Hat of Disguise, Ring of Protection +1
Tactics: Will attack primarily at a distance allowing foes to close in before disappearing back into the forest. If anyone gets the bright idea to light the forest on fire Duavatu will cast Resist Energy on himself, entangle on them and wade into melee trying to paralyze the transgressors. Once they are dealt with he will put out fire and spend a long time torturing them to death. With his spells and ranger abilities it will be difficult to pin him down. Unless he believes the enemy knows where his phylactery is (buried very deep underground near the center of the forest) he will attack with abandon. With his hunting skills he can track down anyone who destroys his body and retrieve his items at his leisure. Usually when they'd least expect it. His Hat of Disguise is kept with a pile of bones that he uses to create a new body when his current one gets destroyed. This allows Duavatu to walk amongst mortals uncontested when trying to track down those that have angered him.
I will leave any history up to anyone who wishes to use this in their game.
Half-dragon gelatinous cube. I think I'm going to try to draw a picture of this one.
Half-dragon gelatinous cube. I think I'm going to try to draw a picture of this one.
So the dragons made a remake of American Pie?
Shane's half-dragon stirges got me thinking:
Half Dragon Plague Zombie Stirges!
Shadow Kitten
A cute little black kitten walks into the room, meowing at you. The sound sends a chill down your spine as you notice the scaled wings growing out of it back. The last thing you see before the lights disappears is the glowing red eyes of the kitten as it spreads it's wings and flies at you...
Half-Fiend Kitten(Young Cat) CR 1/2
XP 100
NE Outsider(Native)
Size: Large
Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +5, Dark vision 60ft.,
Defense
AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+6 Dex, +4 size, +1 natural)
hp 3 (1d8–1)
Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +1
DR 5/magic, immunity to poison, acid, cold, electricity, fire resistance 10, SR 12
Offense
Speed 30 ft., Fly 60ft(good)
Melee 2 Claws(1-4)+10, Bite(1-4)+10
Special Attacks: Smite Good(Su): +1 damage against good creatures, 1/day
Spell-Like Abilities: Darkness 3/day
Space 1 ¼ .; Reach 0 ft.
Statistics
Str 3, Dex 23, Con 8, Int 4, Wis 14, Cha 9
Base Atk +0; CMB -2; CMD 6 (10 vs. trip)
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Climb +6, Perception +5, Stealth +22; Racial Modifiers +4 Climb, +4 Stealth
Ecology
Environment temperate and hot plains or urban
Organization solitary, or litter (2–4)
Treasure none
For more fun, open up GR's Advanced Bestiary for use....
It should be Pathfinder only, but the Bonus bestiary is allowable.
OK, very good entries. I especially like the shadow kitten, however, for originality I have to give Ohaku the prize.
I declare Ohaku's half-black dragon black pudding the winner!